Official announcements from the U.S. Department of State or major news outlets like Reuters, BBC, or CNN

U.S. Confirms Israel Targeted Hamas Officials Amid Ceasefire Talks, Civilian Casualties Reported

Jul 15, 2024, 05:27 PM

The White House National Security Council spokesperson confirmed that Israel has informed the U.S. about targeting senior Hamas officials. Reports of civilian casualties have also emerged, prompting the U.S. to engage with Israeli counterparts for more information. On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi to discuss the latest developments in ceasefire negotiations. The U.S. State Department emphasized Israel's commitment to reaching a ceasefire and expressed serious concern about recent civilian casualties in Gaza. The State Department reiterated that while Israel has the right to target militants, attacks on civilians are not justified.